The Legacy
by MyAxiom23
Summary: Mei DuBois was born into the League of Shadows. She was a mercenary assassin of the purest breed. When Bane returns from exile, Mei is ready to serve under his reign. And when a unique task is bestowed upon her, it forever changes their accord. This story delves into the realm of League of Shadows, before and during TDKR RATED M for later lemonade, violence, etc BANE/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to The Legacy**

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**This story is rated M for the nature of the story, which shall not shy away from the mature aspects that are true and essential to the plot. This story has a potential to reach darker moments, murder will occur (It's TDKR…with a focus on Bane…it's inevitable ;]) and lemonade shall be made. For those that read my other Bane story know that it shall be quite splendid.**

**This is a Bane/OC - romance|suspense|drama - fanfic. It is not a "capture-the-pretty-girl" story. Or a hostage story of any kind. I adore those, as there is something...endearing, about them. But they have been done in many Bane fanfics. Even _I_ have done something similar with _The Heart's Craving_ (My other Bane fanfic ;] **it's worth checking out ;D**) _The Legacy_ will be different than the usual Bane fics, in a really good and entertaining way. **I am so excited with this one. I also plan to use as many TDKR characters, and even introduce other villains that were not mentioned in the movies. For an idea of why this might be different, I'll give you a hint, it's because this story will trail on the villain's path ;) And it delves into the League of Shadows, on Bane's uprising in the league, etc. **Also, for any wondering, Mei's doppleganger is Olivia Munn. Checking her pictures out is a great way to picture Mei. Oh and I know I said I was going to publish this until after THC, but I just couldn't contain myself! **

**Please do feel free to leave reviews. I absolutely adore them. Not just because they give me a tremendous boost to keep writing, but because it's like putting up a painting in an art gallery. There is something so magical about seeing others pass by the painting to admire it, or even critique it. It makes the painting come to life, almost completing it. I truly enjoy to know what my readers think. And I DO accept criticism. Real criticism, as well. I am currently working on a novel, and I need all the help I can get as a writer. So seriously, type away in that review box, no matter the subject. I want to know what you are thinking ;D But if you must leave a negative review, fine by me, but please leave something substantial so I know where I went wrong so I can avoid those mistakes in the future. I also try super hard to reply to all my reviewers, as I seriously probably wouldn't be on FanFic if it weren't for you guys :D :D**

**And without further ado…**

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_**THE LEGACY**_

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"Would you like whipped cream?" the Nepali barista asked with a heavy Italian accent.

"No thank you," Mei responded, providing a traditional courteous smile.

"Auta ramro den Chaa," said the barista, the corner of his aged eyes crinkling with a smile.

He was always practicing his Nepali. _Have a good day_…Mei translated in her head. She really needed to practice her Nepali as well. She was fluent in Mandarin, English, and nearly fluent in French. But her Nepali was extremely basic. How pathetic, since she was born and raised in Nepal. Although she often faulted her training for this.

Her training simply never surrounded her in the language.

Mei exited the city after a nod to the aging man, gripped her warm paper cup, and began her journey through the city, a puff of warm hair constantly preceding her. Her long black hair was tucked into place underneath her white Russian-styled fur hat, occasionally threatening to trail in the wind in the occurrence of a cool gust of wind. Her long black coat, favoring a military style, covered her body, that since birth, was raised to be a cutting weapon.

Truly Mei DuBois could consider herself a deadly weapon, alongside her co-workers. Because she, like so many she knew, was trained as a mercenary assassin, her body figured for battle. Her mind and body conditioned to thrive in an environment where others would fold like origami paper.

But at the moment she was on break.

She enjoyed her breaks. It gave her time to enjoy the world around her. She visited the local Nepali town once a week for business, then continued with a long lunch break. Everyone in town just thought she was a rich woman that enjoyed local cuisine. In the colder seasons, such as this, she would always get a customary cappuccino after eating at one of her favorite restaurants. She sipped the drink, cautious of its heat. Its flavor was perfect, just as she expected.

The man that made them – Federico – hailed from a family business known for their cappuccinos and pastas. Federico was Italian. An Italian all the way in the middle of Nepal, selling cappuccinos. He definitely was out of place, and yet he belonged all at the same time.

Mei traversed the city people, ritually passing a rather poor street, dropping a small roll of money into the lap of a seven year old boy. The boy habitually looked for, 'potential recruits', for the organization Mei worked for. And she always added a little extra money for his troubles. He lived with his grandmother, who was sick, and Mei hated to see him constantly worry about money.

Mei eventually reached the helicopter pad that existed on the outskirts of the Asian town. It was a short flight into town, as her main inhabitance existed in unreachable lands, save by a brave soul willing to climb, or by helicopter. Mei's father used to do this job, but as Mei grew older and more capable, she took over this weekly role.

Mei's father was Cabe DuBois.

And Cabe was longtime friends with Ra's Al Ghul, the leader of the League of Shadows.

Mei fully prided herself in being a devout member of the League of Shadows. She was born and raised. The purest breed of a mercenary. She knew no other life, and never sought one.

Once a week, Ra's used to venture into town looking for potential recruits. Many men, and the occasional woman, would flock to the Nepali town in search of the League. Although sometimes they didn't even know the league's name. They just had heard about it through the grapevine. And once a week, an inquiry was made to see if any had arrived looking for the league. The small boy that Mei paid kept a constant eye out for the league.

The league was not a hateful organization, contrary to what many tried to say. They just wished to dispose of the criminals that ran this world, to serve justice to those that escaped it. By any means necessary.

And the job of checking in on the town was given to her father, and then eventually he let Mei undertake the mundane task. Although it was an important one, as Mei would be the first league member a new recruit would ever meet. And she partially blended in with the Asian community here, although her skin was lighter than most.

Mei was a mixed woman of Chinese and French ancestry, with 25 years of existence under her belt. She had just finished her medical schooling, with a focus in chemistry and anesithoslogy. She fell in love with the chemical sciences, and was currently working towards finding a correct doctorate's program for her to finish her work in chemistry. It wasn't a long shot to say that Mei, in reality, was training to become a leading scientist for the League of Shadows - something Ra's continuously was in support of. And it gave Mei pride to aid her brethren in such a way.

Her focus in medicine was not an initial interest of hers, and continued to only remain a side interest. It was useful to have a medic in the field, so she pursued it a basic level. But it was not her passion. More of a necessary training, if you will.

As fifteen years ago, Ra's Al Ghul was informed that he had a daughter. A letter was not sent, a phone call was never made. No, his daughter, Talia, literally walked miles to find Ra's. Mei will never forget seeing that the beaten and dirtied girl had somehow made her way to the League of Shadows. Although the little girl was fragile from a distance, only a year older than Mei, she bore the eyes of a seasoned warrior.

It was such a shock when Talia appeared, and even Ra's had a hard time believing her in the beginning. It turned out the wife of Ra's Al Ghul had taken his place in the Pit, a medieval hole in the ground that functioned as a hellish prison, and later gave birth to Talia. Ra's was never aware of the pregnancy.

But once he accepted the truth, Ra's became incredibly interested in other aspect to this unraveling mystery: Who had worked so hard to preserve his daughter's life, when she was not his to save? Surely this was an example of the world still having a shred of dignity left in it.

Ra's returned to the Pit to find this man. Ra's would, at the very least, free him. Especially once Talia informed Ra's that this mystery man had been born there, rather than committing a crime worthy of punishment. Even the man's name signified the persecution he faced.

_Bane_.

Bane had impressed Ra's, on more than one level. Bane proved he potentially had what it took to be a prominent member of their league. And so Bane was initiated once he healed. With surprising ease he entered their ranks, as if he himself had been born and raised in the League of Shadows.

Although even he came with faults. He was in his late twenties when they found him, suffering from immense pain. And at the time, the ten year old Mei displayed a strong proficiency with mathematics and science. Bane was injured, even disfigured, and needed constant pain killers to alleviate the damage done to his body. It was decided then that Mei would focus on medicine in her studies, as children never had the time to be children in the league, honing that focus for anesthetics. It took a year of convincing from Talia, but eventually the League decided Bane would forever require assistance with his pain. And after Bane displayed he had the makings of a legendary mercenary, he was granted special medical treatment.

Although Bane's quickly rising legacy continued to disturb Ra's. It was clear Bane was a special breed of human, if you could call him that. And so ten years ago Bane faced excommunication for his extreme nature. Although Mei, once entertaining the idea of pursuing chemistry in her medical endeavors, discovered it was a passion never explored. And so it stuck. She was destined to study the art of chemistry, it seemed, with or without Bane.

And on quiet days in the lab when she was not physically training, on a mission, or studying for school, she found herself wondering where Bane was. And what happened to his pain. Mei respected Bane. She hadn't talked to him often, as he was not a man of many words, and his presence was more than foreboding. So she just often watched him from afar.

And after observing Bane as if she were a spy paid to stalk, Mei decided it was clear that Bane wasn't just a mercenary. He wasn't just a killer, or a fighter for true justice. He was an intelligent creature of the dark. He _owned_ the darkness - he slayed in it. And the scars on his body were relentless. Mei always wondered what happened to him to be wrongfully decorated in them.

And on top of it all, Mei always admired the sheer power of the man. Especially with the way Bane's eyes spoke louder than any man could ever shout.

There was hellfire in those eyes.

And yet he always had the softest spot for Talia.

But the young Mei did not pay much attention to Bane's fondness of Talia. Mei wanted to know his _power_. Mei wanted to be admired like Bane. Mei knew no other way of life – your existence thrived on your legacy as a mercenary. And Bane was a man with a revered legacy. To watch him spar and train was like watching destiny at its finest hour.

Mei always regretted never speaking to Bane more often.

She always did think that Ra's made a mistake when ridding Bane from the League. He was exactly what they needed to be properly recognized by the world.

Hopefully they still would. The world needed to know their name. The world needed to understand its failures and mistakes.

Mei watched the world below her as she rode in the helicopter. She had seen this view countless times, and yet, it always continued to take her breath away. Nepal was a glorious land. Mei's stern light hazel eyes scanned the mountainside, always on the watch for anything out of the ordinary. It was the assassin's way – keen observations served as saving details. It was how Talia was spotted.

Although today seemed to just be another cold winter's day for the mountains. That was fine by Mei. She was currently re-cooperating from a recent mission. In fact, it was how she acquired this expensive, lovely fur hat that worked so well with her dark outfit.

It belonged to a corrupt Russian woman that Mei was sent to kill.

Mei always liked taking things from those that fell to her blade. Sort of like a souvenir.

And Mei had many souvenirs.

The copter landed on the mountainside where the League of Shadows stationed its headquarters. It didn't face any town, and parts of the mountain were hallowed out for living quarters. Asian architecture beautifully populated the unseen mountainside, its wooden design replicating a studious home for mercenaries. Out in the distance was the best training grounds – a large, flat landscape before dropping off into the rivers below. And off to the side was the League's temple. Although it was being rebuilt, as it had been burnt down seven months ago by a league member that had gone rogue - Bruce Wayne. Wayne apparently thought he was too good for the League of Shadows, and nearly killed Ra's. It was a shame. A handsome man going to waste like that, believing he could solve crime like a Hardy boy.

She exited the copter, stealing a sip of her cappuccino as she held on to her hat. Although beautiful, Mei was going to have to do something about the perfume she could still smell from the fur.

Her victim may have lived a lavish lifestyle as a prominent drug dealer, but clearly she knew nothing about fragrances.

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A week had passed.

And the fur hat still had its ghastly aroma. Perhaps Mei should have stolen some money from the dead woman to pay to get it cleaned properly. But despite it's smell, Mei still wore it. Mei had to admit, it looked too good not to wear.

Although it was not on her mind at the moment. Nothing, in fact, was on her mind. As she was in her room, wearing her gray cotton training garb, mediating.

It was her spare room. Her private living quarters had a bedroom, living room, kitchenette, bathroom, and this room. And also a wonderful balcony. The scale was small, but it was all Mei needed. And it was all fashioned in her favorite style – like a dark-wooded dojo. In fact, the entire League of Shadows headquarters seemed to resemble an elaborate, living dojo, with a hint of temple architecture sneaking in every now and again. White candles often gave light to the building, so as to never overwhelm a mercenary's sense. Getting used to the light was a disadvantage, at best.

It was perfect. It was home to Mei DuBois.

This spare room Mei was in was her warrior room, as she called it, complete with all of her custom war gear and souvenirs that couldn't be placed elsewhere. She was currently on her mediation mat, the incense burner filling the room with a relaxing smell as the papyrus window shades created a soft glow to the room.

It was peaceful...until she heard footsteps echo in the hallway.

Mei deeply exhaled, and then opened her eyes. Centered. She blinked and moved her eyes to the wall facing the hallway, cocking her brow in curiosity of who it was.

No one should be in this wing. Mei was the only inhabitant of this section that was still here, as the rest were on an esteemed mission. Her wing was a smaller wing, one of the two reserved for higher ranked members. She was honored to move in a year ago, starting at the bottom of the officer ladder with her current trials as a leader. If she succeeded, she could remain. If she failed, she would have to move out, and work for years to regain her honor.

Although now she felt like she lived in a ghost town. She was too young when the training for this significant mission began. And so she remained.

Currently, the League's biggest mission ever was under way. Their plan was to destroy Gotham City. Ra's was finally enacting his plan to eradicate that dreadful city that epitomized what was wrong this world.

But the footsteps outside grew louder. They were casual, neither rapid nor attempting to remain hidden.

A messenger?

Mei exhaled one more time as she elegantly rose to her feet, her body in constant control of itself. She was feminine in shape, but her muscular frame often overshadowed this. It was something she often conflicted with. She loved the control her muscles gave her, all a product of hard work may people in this world would never know. But the feminine side that was tucked deep inside always regretted that she was not a soft being like how females were 'supposed' to be.

Like that Russian woman who Mei killed earlier in the week. Although Mei had to guess that her breasts were probably fake. None the less, the Russian woman was more feminine than Mei. It didn't bother Mei regularly, but as she grew older, she wondered if she would ever meet a man suitable for her. Who would marry a mercenary assassin, with a muscular physique, and unreliable work hours?

She'd probably live in this living quarter, alone, for the rest of her life.

Then Mei's front door opened, and she let go of her inner turmoil for the time being. Mei clasped her hands in front of her and stood in patience. Clearly whomever was coming in wanted to speak with her. So she would greet them in this room.

Her spare door opened, no time being wasted. But of course not, as the person coming in knew her best, and knew she would be in this room, as this was her meditating hour. It was her father, Cabe DuBois.

"Father…you are home early," Mei said with a smile on her face, bowing to show her respect to the seasoned warrior.

"It is not on good fortune," her father said, no hint of play or happiness on his aging face. The gray in his trimmed beard seemed to have grown even more silver in his absence.

"What happened?" Mei asked as she raised to a normal stance.

Her father paused for silence while staring at his daughter. This news he was about to bestow onto her was not only one of personal strife, but the significance it suggested, Cabe guessed, would forever change the League of Shadows. Mei was a master of the body and mind...but of the heart...she was quite raw in that field. It often made her a caring person for the weak, for those that could not fight for themselves. But it also made her grow attached to certain people, and it made her hard to let them go - something Ra's was always trying to help Mei with.

"Our friend, and leader, Ra's Al Ghul, is with us no more."

Mei exhaled once again, but this time it was delivered with a hotter force behind it. The hair on her arms stood as gooseflesh took her body. Her bones seemingly went cold, and her stern eyes fell from her father as her face lost any trace of happiness it recently gained.

She stared at the wooden floor, her eyes darting between planks. That seemed impossible. What was met in Gotham that could do such a thing?

"How," she asked with a hardness to her voice. The death of Ra's either meant a terrible accident occurred, or an enemy worthy of the League was on the rise.

Any normal person would have groveled at this devastating news. But Mei was not normal. She killed without regret. She was an assassin. To be a good assassin, one must learn to treat their emotions differently. And where Mei had no problem unattaching herself from her prey, she struggled greatly in her attachments to people she cared about.

But even then, Mei had trained for so long, that when confronted with emotional turmoil, she shut it off like there was a sensitive switch nearby. It was a survival mechanism. People in this business died frequently. It was misguided to get lost in mourning, or you would never survive.

"A man dressed as a Bat, hellbent on serving his own justice as he clamors the city's rooftops, proved to be more than just a theatrical vigilante. He was a major obstacle for us. And in the end, he defeated Ra's. His training is superb," her father said. Cabe's eyes fell to the floor as well, his brow raising in disapproval of what happened.

"So who leads the League now?" Mei asked as she looked back to her father. Vengeance was immediately on Mei's mind, as she tended to cope physically, rather than mentally or emotionally, but something like proper vengeance could not take place until a new leader was found.

"As of now, Talia Al Ghul will more than likely take his throne," her father said, gently striding in to look at his daughter's souvenir rack.

There seemed to be a new object – a Russian World War II gun. She always did have good taste in artifacts. It was next to a toy Chinese doll, placed carefully in a glass container, that had belonged to a five year old. Mei did not kill the five year old, but she killed the child's killer. The child was clearly an orphan as her clothes belonged to a local orphanage in the Chinese town Mei was visiting. It was one of the few times Cabe questioned this career for his daughter. It seemed to almost unravel Mei, who was sixteen at the time. She didn't understand why innocent people had to die. And so Mei made a shallow grave for the parent-less child, and kept the doll that was found with her to always remember her, to always remind Mei of why she did the work that she did.

Mei didn't want to take anything from the murderer once she killed him. His life was enough, and she left him for the dogs.

"She is not fit to lead. She lacks the expertise," Mei said immediately, "And besides, father, _you_ are fit to lead. You were a great friend of Ra's, and know the workings of his rank."

"That is not my place. Talia was trained closely under Ra's. And it was in his will that Talia take the lead."

"You went through his will already? When did this all happen? Don't tell me I missed the ceremony," Mei said, perplexed by the news she was hearing.

"There was no body to be found. And we deemed it necessary to act quickly, when it came to reading the will. A proper ritual will be held for Ra's later."

"Well does Talia know?" Mei asked, her temper flaring. First she was told Ra's was killed, and now Talia would apparently give Mei official orders. It was a double blow.

"She does. And she already has plans," her father said as he examined the gun in his hands.

"Well I am sure they are subpar," Mei taunted with a flippant raise of her brow.

"It does not matter. She has already secured a strategist."

"Because she can't do the job herself," Mei mumbled to herself.

"Mei," her father scolded, placing the gun down as he turned to face his daughter, his green eyes staring her down, "Do not let your squabbles with Talia ruin the prestige you have worked so hard to gain. You finally have a standing within this league, and it has only just begun. Do not let it crumble just as quickly."

"Sorry, father," Mei said quietly, bowing her head down in submission. He was one of the few people that could, on most occasions, give her a good slap in the face to wake her up. And so was Ra's. Or, at least, he had been.

Mei could already feel her tear ducks painfully asking to let the tears out. Although Mei denied any display of weakness such as that. That was a private matter. She had learned, quite early on, that she faced hardships for just being female. Displaying emotional weakness only added to the stigma of a weak female. And this practice had subsequently made her an incredibly private person. She refused to cry even in front of her father.

So Mei was about to ask more about Ra's. About his death, and about his killer. It would alleviate her mind to know there was a plan of vengeance. No, a plan of justice. Whoever aided in the death of Ra's Al Ghul deserved to face justice that the League of Shadows was capable of giving.

But then more footsteps were heard, gathering Mei's attention, especially once her front door was heard opening again.

"Knocking is a general custom," Mei said harshly, loud enough for the new comers to hear.

Not only was Mei dealing with the loss of a friend and a mentor, something that always seemed to send her into a mental struggle, but now there were people just walking in and out of her home. She didn't like company to exceed more than one. Two was pushing it. Her home was small. And she liked the calm energy of it. Four people was too much energy, disrupting the peace she worked to achieve.

"So is greeting your guests with more kindness," said a voice that Mei least expected – Talia.

Mei did not hate Talia. But she also was not fond of her. Mei usually tolerated Talia in knowledge of what Talia had once been through. But Talia tended to receive preferential treatment due to her father's stature in the league, while Mei's father refused to aid her in any of her advancements. Cabe DuBois always reminded Mei that if he was to have a daughter rise in the rankings of the League of Shadows, it would be done justly. Not by birth right. And while Mei understood these teachings, Talia always seemed to crawl under Mei's skin with the fact that Talia worked less than Mei, and yet always had more.

But the other being that accompanied Talia off centered Mei.

_Oooh...interesting_…Mei slowly mused to herself as her face was stolen with a subtle expression of awe.

Next to Talia was a massive male who was donned in scars. Mei knew most of their locations, and none of their stories. And it had been ten years since she last saw this man.

It was Bane.

He had on dark militia pants and boots. A unique leather brace that resembled a belt surrounded his waist, with two strips of thick fabric going over his shoulders, which looked like had more muscle in them than Mei had in one arm. Mei examined the brace, almost forgetting that Bane suffered from a back injury. Surely it had been a long time if she forgot this detail.

Bane placed one of his hands over his other as he stood in attention next to Talia, his mask more technical than before, but still rudimentary. He had gained muscle, his body thick and sculpted with it. Mei subconsciously straightened her stance in his presence, as just his existence seemed to command it. And of course Bane's eyes were still the same – absolutely penetrating.

It didn't take more than a second's worth of concentration for Mei to understand that Talia had recruited Bane as a strategist, possibly more. Mei's and Bane's eyes locked in a silent greeting, Bane not forgetting her face, even if it had flourished over the years.

Things were about to get very interesting for the League of Shadows.

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**I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much, everyone, for the surprise I received with the support being shown for this story :) It is truly amazing! Seriously, thank you so much, from the favs, follows, to the reviews. I am so excited many of you are excited for this story. I'd love to continue hearing your thoughts.**

**Without further ado...the second chapter :) And have a happy weekend everyone!**

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A final kick was delivered, her foot but a mere inch from the rudimentary mask as her alternate leg supported her frame. It was not a move of war, but of demonstration.

The eyes of the masked man merely blinked in response, moving to connect to her own light hazel orbs. Mei let out a deep breath as their eyes connected, perplexed by how deeply Bane's seemed to penetrate. Especially at such a close proximity. She began to lower her leg, until Bane's entire stature moved with a dexterity she was unprepared for. His large hand came up to strike, grabbing her ankle, his other arm placed on her knee as he sharply spun her in a rebuttal.

Mei suffered a delayed reaction, not expecting Bane's attack. The sheer power in his arms was too overwhelming when she finally realized what was happening - the fault of being a smaller female fighting anything larger and stronger than her. She was a creature of stealth and quick strikes, not a power house.

Bane released her once she became airborne and disoriented, her world off centered as she reached out, bracing herself as she touched the floor, tucking and tumbling forward until her feet replanted, spinning to face him in a low stance. She staggered as surprise continued to overwhelm her.

Her main revelation from the spontaneous assault was how his counterattack rendered her so out of control in the moment she was lost in it. She had fought many people in her past, but it was a rare instance that an opponent matched Ra's in skill and form…if not surpassing him.

Mei took a mental note, that if she and Bane were to ever confront each other as enemies, the optimal choice was just to run for it and hope she was somehow faster than him.

"You are too trusting," Bane accused, his eyes indifferent.

"You were just watching me demonstrate, like you asked," Mei said as she felt her muscles remain on their edge, waiting for another strike to come from any direction.

"Your guard was let down."

"Well…so I didn't expect your move," she retorted.

"A fault you cannot afford to make," Bane instructed, a layered meaning in his words, as if he knew this lesson all too well.

"So I'll remember for next time…but you didn't have to hurt me," Mei said, stealing a moment to look down to her knee as she began to register a light cramp.

"May you learn from it," Bane said, crossing his arms as he continued to latch his charcoal eyes to her in a calculating gaze.

Mei looked back up to him, noticing he was all but fazed by this.

He was going to be a hard one to please.

She said no more as she nodded and turned to gather her things, used to the rough teaching of the league. Ra's was no stranger to putting the body through abuse. How could one train for the reality of deadly warfare if they were not ready to train in its atmosphere?

So she returned to her room, traversing through the darkly wooded hallways, the number of passerby's at an all-time low as surely they were getting ready for an event that awaited the League.

Today was the formal funeral of Ra's Al Ghul. And Mei had spent a good chunk of her morning demonstrating her physical skills to Bane, upon his request of course.

She entered her wing, which began to regain the former members who slept under its roof. Including Bane, who was now housed across from her. She had learned of this the day prior when he had accompanied Talia. He was as silent and inexplicable as always, his eyes ever observant.

In the end, Talia had only come to request Mei's father, Bane and Talia needing to speak with him.

Although, before fully departing, Bane requested Mei to demonstrate if she had increased in her form. Something she agreed to without falter. She had longed to impress him when she was younger, and now she had the skill set to achieve such a feat.

Or so she liked to believe. But apparently, after her encounter with Bane earlier this morning, she had a few things to work on before she impressed the beast of a man.

But it also wasn't fair he was so damn striking. She had to admit his body was the pinnacle of virility, which was a bit distracting, but his presence was just as foreboding as usual. She'd really have to concentrate to stop allowing him to have this effect on her. Perhaps some added mediation would soothe her mind.

Mei entered her flat after eyeing Bane's door, passing through her living room that was lined with bookshelves, containing worn bindings of numerous literature, until she reached her bedroom. She took a quick shower, avoiding washing her hair as she had washed it this morning, and would wash it again later. She didn't have time to blow dry and pamper it.

And so she exited her room, dressing in her formal black attire, her heavy winter coat covering it all.

She'd be happy when winter was over. She missed the warmth. And just sitting outside, without worrying of frostbite.

Although the mountains always looked glorious when covered in snow.

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The snowfall continued to dust the lands as the sun softly shone through, an optimal opportunity for training the body to endure extreme weather.

But training was on hold – a rare occurrence for the League of Shadows.

All the members present had gathered around the Babylon willow tree that sat at the end of the training fields, perched near an edge. It overlooked the valleys below, and it was a humbling experience to calm ones mind on its edge. When the league first began, the founder loved Babylon willows. And he also loved mediating in this exact spot. So when he passed, he was buried here, and a Babylon willow was planted in his honor.

And so it became tradition to put to rest the other leaders that fell after him in this location. Babylon willows only lasted half a century, so whenever one died, it was replanted to continue their heritage.

And now, upon further tradition, it was home to Ra's Al Ghul. Or rather, home to his headstone, as his body rested in Gotham. But his honor would forever live on here, overlooking the mountains and the landscape that decorated them so elegantly.

Mei stood near other league members as they paid their final respects by watching the headstone of Ra's be placed. The top men that stood aside Ra's when he was alive were dressed in their black mercenary garb, including Cabe DuBois. And even Talia.

Talia eventually stepped up to the headstone to bless it with a Nepali prayer, something that originated from Tibetan monks when the League of Shadows first found its roots. They truly were a people of balance, resonating with many Asian religious teachings. But where the religions sought to bring balance by words, the League picked up the slack and used their blades to ensure that such balance remained.

Even Bane, a man that Ra's Al Ghul himself considered too extreme, was a seeker of balance to this world.

Mei's eyes moved from Talia to Bane, his eyes locked to the gravestone. She wondered what Bane was thinking, as it was Ra's that freed him. And it was also Ra's that shunned him. And Bane's eyes, so complex as they were, were unable to read. They always spoke in place of his covered face, and yet Bane was an adept individual at concealing his inner thoughts when he so desired.

He was a true enigma. And not on accident. No, Bane _knew_ how to be enigmatic. The League of Shadows could surely benefit from his cunning ways.

Bane's gray eyes glanced up to Mei through the dancing of the snow. She stared a second longer as her stance straightened, not willing to withhold her curiosity from Bane this time around. Not after thinking he was gone for so long.

Then she blinked and her eyes were back on Talia after staring for long enough. It seemed Bane was as vigilant as ever with catching people at staring. Mei used to get caught quite often when she was younger, and apparently she failed to improve in her espionage of peering at Bane.

There was just something about him. Mei had traveled the world, and met countless individuals. And never had she met a soul like him…

* * *

After the funeral, she returned to her quarters to change her clothes. Once a week she mostly let her body rest. It was full of stretching, meditating, tea drinking, and then filled with whatever she pleased.

But today was not one of those days. And death of a friend or not, corruption and war paused for no one. She couldn't allow for her body to deteriorate.

So she changed into tight black pants, fitted black tank top, her hair in a braid, and her Jika-tabi footwear.

Perhaps, in reality, this is why she was doomed to be forever single – all of her spare time was married to her work.

But she could choose no other life. She was defined with this way of being. And she would die with, or by it.

She put on a dark hooded robe, a customary piece worn for disguise and covering the body in the cold months. She left the hood down, seeing no reason to conceal her face. And when she arrived, she walked onto the second floor landing, which overlooked the center of the dojo where many sparred. And so too was everyone back to work, as many fresh recruits were practicing their skills with one another.

The second floor contained objects better suited for solitary training, from workout equipment, to dummies, punching bags, and anything else that would be needed to train solo.

Mei immediately noticed a man who was training his fist assaults. It was Bane, of course. She always seemed to have a hard time avoiding him. He was shirtless once more, but not without his brace. He punched the bags so hard that she worried they were going to break, and he produced his punches with so much speed…she began to wonder _when_ it would break, versus if. Especially with the way his muscles would ripple and define themselves, announcing their power with each attack.

Mei took her eyes off of him once he paused, his eyes glancing over the swell of his shoulders to eye the newcomer into the room. She opted to practice her leg kicks, her back faced to him. She needed to focus on her training, not on her adolescent curiosity.

She exhaled and closed her eyes, centering herself as she tried to forget the world around her. Training was all about repetition. And it was also about never accepting anything less than what you could deliver yesterday. So she began. Over, and over, and over, she practiced her numerous forms, losing herself in it. Soon, she even lost the count of the hour, only stopping when her parched mouth begged to be quenched.

And of course when she reached for her water, she noticed Bane was gone. She puffed through her nose, her breathing strained, wondering if he would ever seem to be normal, disappearing like a shadow that had light shone upon it. Although that seemed like a waste of a wish. Because then he wouldn't be nearly as interesting. Although it would make it easier to understand him.

Mei didn't like it when she didn't understand someone. It gave them an edge, an unpredictable edge. And that was dangerous.

As if Bane wasn't dangerous enough already.

* * *

After a strenuous workout and a relaxing cool down, she finally redressed in her robe and walked through the corridors. Her stomach ached to be fed, and she had the best recipe for fish she found on the internet that she wanted to try. She passed a balcony's edge, forgetting her hungry thoughts of fish as she immediately caught onto the fact that someone was present, darting her eyes to examine the individual.

She breathed heavily through her nose. It was only the second day, and she was already running into him at almost every occurrence. This was either going to become interesting, or get old, very fast.

"Espionage is a trait worth exploiting," Bane said, his head turning to look over his shoulder as he eyed Mei.

"Are you implying I am nosy?" Mei defended, examining his surroundings. He seemed to just be standing out here…possibly deep in thought.

What does a man like Bane get lost in thought about?

"It is more than an implication," Bane stated, facing the mountainside once more. Mei's eyes moved to the scenery before him, a breath of calm air filling her lungs as the sun was behind the mountains, the residue of colors blending together in a soft illumination.

"And yet you want to…exploit it?" she asked, her brow furrowed after replaying his words in her head. She wasn't about to deny his accusation...to be fair, she was quite nosy. But weren't all mercenaries?

"In due time," Bane said, leaving little space in conversation for her to interject, "Where do you stand in your studies?"

"I am working to find a doctorate program in chemistry," she said quickly, biting gently on her tongue afterward and tucking her loose hair behind her ear. She needed to stop trying to impress him. She wasn't twelve anymore. If anything, this fascination was quite ridiculous. No one was that interesting, or so she tried to convince herself.

"And your focus?"

"Anything really – I was kind of hoping Ra's would give me something interesting to pursue that the league could use," she said, hoping to focus on her studies in the conversation, so as to alleviate her curious mind.

"An answer that suits my need…I have a particular person of interest for you to pursue," Bane said, finally turning to face her, his military garb completely befitting of him as she conducted a quick observation of his attire that had changed over the years.

"That's a precise request. Did you research this in your absence?" she asked.

"A dormant mind is a wasted one."

She took a silent moment to herself as she stared at Bane, the gears in his eyes clearly working as she realized exile was not something that impeded his progress as an intellectual fighter. She raised her brows, agreeing with him, "I can agree to that…so who do I study under?"

"You will study under Dr. Pamela Isley. She is an expert in botany, with a focus in toxicology. You are to go under the guise of a medical student seeking to ascertain medicine further, specifically anesthetics."

Mei's brows continued to raise, taking in a breath of the cold winter air through her mouth, exhaling a warm puff as she actually considered what he wanted from her, "Sounds…interesting, actually. I like plants…and poison, and experimentng. Where is she located?"

"You will study in Gotham."

Mei's brows dropped, a heated wave streaming her veins as she immediately envisioned the death of Ra's, knowing this 'Batman' was out there somewhere. And now she was supposed to waltz into the same city, and just study innocently while he was only blocks away?

"I thought we were at a disagreement with Gotham," she stated as a colder shade enveloped her light hazel eyes.

"Surely you are capable to handle yourself in the city. In due time we will lead another attack. Disregard your bad blood, as this young doctor is promising in her work. With the right knowledge, you could harness the potential to engineer the compounds of specific plants, creating toxins useful to our causes, not just pain relief. I am sending you there for more than one purpose, Mei. Toxicology is useful to an organization such as ours."

She clenched her jaw and looked away before swallowing thickly as she said, "Alright fine. I can do that…when I do leave?"

"In four months. We have already contacted Dr. Isley for you."

"Well that was fast," she said, her eyes connecting back to his. He was serious about this, it seemed.

"It is long overdue."

Mei stared a moment longer before nodding. She could forget her trepidation with 'Batman' for now, if her work really was pertinent to her organization. The more she thought on the subject, the more she entertained the idea of focusing in toxicology. She enjoyed nature. She enjoyed chemistry. And she enjoyed messing around in the lab.

If anything, this seemed like a prime studious opportunity.

Plus, Gotham was a city. Many men roamed the streets. A few of them were bound to be attractive. And it had been so long since Mei felt a man's touch…well, only three years. But that was long enough for Mei not to pine for male attention. It was part of her basic biology. Also, no one knew her in Gotham. She could spin whatever romantic web she pleased.

"Gather your things for a week's worth of mission materials, before you leave this conversation," Bane instructed, bringing Mei back to reality. She had been subconsciously drifting away, ready to move back to her room to research Gotham further and to maybe understand this 'Dr. Isley'.

"We already have an assigned mission?" Mei asked, her interest completely perked as her eyes brightly looked to Bane.

"I need recruits. I need a second in command. There exists a man I trust for the job, and we need to pay him a visit. We are funding this mission as hire on's for a well-paying beneficiary, and you are coming as a medic."

"Oh…well alright," Mei said, an undeniable smile in her eyes, "I'll get my things ready. When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow. At dawn," was all Bane said before turning back to face the mountains, the color in the sky becoming transparent as the stars blanketed the sky.

Mei nodded, even though Bane didn't see. It was a subconscious move of respect, and it was a hard one to prevent. She moved with a quicker pace back to her flat, excited now more than ever.

_A second in command_…Mei mused to herself. This meant that Bane considered himself more than Talia's aid. He considered himself a leader of sorts. Just how far up in the ranks was he?

And how did everything change so much in just two days?

Mei returned to her room, changed into her night wear, and before delving into her computer for research, she went to make herself dinner. The fish was full of flavor, although she had to practice the recipe a few times, that much was obvious.

She went to retire to bed with a cup of tea in hand, until her eyes caught onto something white against the dark wood.

She eyed the white Rhododendron flower that sat in a vase of water on a stand all on its own, stationed next to her balcony door.

_No. That'd be ridiculous._

She took two more steps, hesitating in the third as she looked back to the flower.

Her head continued to glance to the door, to the cup of tea, and back to the flower. She finally moved her feet, going to her bedroom, when she stopped in her tracks.

It had been a long, strenuous two days. Perhaps she needed it.

Mei hesitated in a series of subtle stutters in her movements, finally setting her tea down and moving to the balcony door. She stopped before opening it, pulling a petal from her white Rhododendron flower. She couldn't believe she was doing this.

She slipped on her slippers, stepped onto the balcony floor as the cold air nipped her skin. She looked down to the petal, twirling it in her fingers as she mentally spoke to it. Just like she was supposed to. Although, unlike before, she easily spent a a few solid minutes, if not more, just staring at the pale petal as the cold air skated across her skin.

She blinked, and then looked up to the stars. What was she doing out here? She hadn't done something like this since she was in adolescence.

She released a breath of peace, a gust of wind twirling her black hair as she let go of the petal, deciding now was the moment if she was ever to do it. It fluttered like an overgrown snowflake, dancing with the wind as it drifted over the balcony's edge.

It was something her mother used to do with her, always promising the smaller Mei that a wish could be made on them. And it would come true if she let it go into the mountains, as if the spirit of nature would find the rogue petal and hear its prayer.

Clearly that was nothing but fiction…but in times when Mei felt like the world was spinning faster than she could keep up with, she'd be tempted to do the silly ritual. It was a form of connection to her mother, wondering if her spirit was ever out there...somewhere...watching over Mei. She missed her mother.

And Mei only decided to do the ritual because she could tell things were changing. As much as Bane made things interesting, she also knew he was excommunicated for a reason. Whether or not that reason was logical, or just pure paranoia, it didn't matter. Because she could tell that her world was revving up for what seemed like a violent spin forward.

And as she watched the petal disappear into the distance, she smirked, a thick cloud of warm air intruding her vision. She couldn't believe she did that. It was goofy. It was completely based on her mother's tale of wishes being granted.

But it reminded her of her mother. And that was comforting enough.


	3. Chapter 3

I updated this with the new chapter, and it is in a funky format. I am working on updating it and editing that out. I plan to have it out within a few hours. Sorry for this! BUT YOU ARE GETTING THE STORY SOON! :D :D :D


	4. Chapter 3 - Real

**HELLO!**  
**This is an actual post, and not an update! Hooray :D**

**SORRY for false update earlier as well. I had copy and pasted this from Word, and then when I published it...all this crazy formatting appeared instead of the story lol. So all the edits I made within the Fanfic doc system was deleted, so I just had to go through and re-edit it once more.**

**Sorry for the delay overall as well. There really is no excuse. I gave a detailed reason in The Heart's Craving recent post. Essentially...life got in the way and so did writer's block. But the haitus gave me a break to refresh my mind and my passion for the story.**

**So without further ado and to keep you from waiting...**

** The Legacy - Chapter 3  
**

* * *

Two weeks had passed since their mission.

Had it really only been two weeks?

Mei pinched between her eyes, rubbing them slowly as the sun let her know she was sleeping in for far too long.

The mission felt far away now. But at least it had been a success. The Second Hand was here. And Bane was very fond of this man. Mei didn't know why. But she had learned early on not to press questions when there was strict privacy required. So she just accepted this man's presence as one that Bane trusted.

And gaining Bane's trust meant something.

To recruit this man the League had to infiltrate another mercenary group. Bane and the Second Hand were apparently a good team while Bane had been rogue, and subsequent friends. The Second Hand followed him anywhere. But Bane had left to follow Talia once she sought him out. And The Second Hand was left a lone wolf. And with the skills only useful to organizations designed for killing...he had limited options.

But, Bane decided to supply him with another option. The contending mercenary group tied its member close to home, much like when one was bound to the League. So Bane thought it would be worth their while to sneak in and take the Second Hand, rather than live it himself to escape. But Cabe DuBois was dubious of this tactic. Ra's wanted the League to be a shadow operative that struck and left. With Talia in charge, she seemed to be less cautious of this. Cognizant enough not to advertise who they were to the world, but more selfish with the missions. It worried Cabe. There was an obvious goal to monopolize the mercenary field, and Bane supported it. Cabe feared this was going down the wrong path for the League. But quietly. Bane mentioned that for the future it would prove useful not to have sell swords hired to impede the League. So in the end, Cabe and Mei went with the plan. They could not find a real reason to say no.

And so the plan was to infiltrate, kill as many as possible, and to take this mysterious Second Hand as the prize.

The League was reorganizing its ranks so quickly...

And during the conflict Mei had been cornered alone. In an attempt to prove herself to Bane, as it would be her first mission with him, she was a little too adventurous. She was to infiltrate a wing of smaller numbers by herself and kill any she saw. She succeeded well. But a group of men not assigned to her wandered close enough. And so she struck. But they were quick, and skilled. She seemed to have reached the real muscle of the organization. People on her level...on her father's level. She knew the mistake immediately. And so she ran, trying to divert them. If she couldn't kill them then maybe she could distract them for the rest. That was working too, until she came to a part of the building she had not memorized. And she got lost.

She took a chance around a corner and found it was a dead end. Once cornered she realized how dim she was to try something so juvenile. Regardless of the danger she had calculated that her survival was high, but sustaining a serious injury to secure her life would no doubt follow it.

There were four men total chasing her. All with a Chinese Dao in their hands. That wasn't promising, but that at least they weren't guns. The closest near her looked more nervous than the rest as they huddled at her only way out. The clumsy one clutched his blade too tightly. She would strike him first. He was obviously new to this rank.

And without wasting a second, she charged him. She took a knee with her left, wrapped her arm around his, entangled his other leg with hers and swung him over her. It was enough to throw his game off as she stole his blade and dug it into his face. Blood spewed and his crunching bone vibrated through the metal into her hands.

One down. Three to go. Adrenaline fueled her like a thirsty machine. One of the three lunged toward her, but she countered. Then his elbow met her face. She dodged it enough to avoid a serious blow, but enough had hit to bust her lip, blood dripping down her chin. She dodged back to center herself.

_Steady breathing._

She slowly spun her leg behind her to regain a stance, twirling the blade to keep it loose in her fingers so she could better dance with it. The men attacked in spurts, and she was hanging well with them. They attacked only in ones, every now and again another would chime in. But her flexibility allowed her to dodge most and strike when there was an opening. She was dangerous, and so they were cautious. After a few minutes of sparring, they all retreated to leave a no man's space between them as they eyed each other. Hair was in her eyes, and the small corridor smelled of sweat, blood, and steel.

And one of the men lunged forward to end the small pause, _"Hyah!"_

_"Haa!"_ she grunted as she took the blow of his blade onto hers. But his strength was more than hers, and it overpowered her.

She let her knees buckle so she could descend downward in hopes to barrel roll behind her so as to avoid more of his crushing strength. Some men fought with power. And others, like her, fought with evasion.

But he was quick, and made sure she moved away with a bloody laceration on her arm.

The pain was sudden. And so was the weakness in her arm. She channeled the searing pain through her voice. She winced, and that turned a grunt, which turned into a deep war cry. A muscle was definitely sliced through, though. And that never bode well for keeping frame. Although she could still use her arm, so it wasn't terrible. But it definitely didn't help.

And all three remaining men pounced onto her.

_Well...here went nothing._

Her eyes quickly darted through the strands of her to three men, across the room, over the walls, and on the floor. Numerous options flooded her mind until she settled on one. Each blow would strike had to mean something. They all had to be _lethal_._  
_

And more than likely she would leave this circumstance making the laceration on her arm look like a small papercut. She would survive it though. She knew that. But she didn't know at what cost.

Luckily she didn't have to pay.

A gun shot fired through the room. The head of the man closest to her exploded. His warm blood was like a balmy shower on her cheeks. It reinvigorated her. She attacked the other two with precise and practiced movements. The mystery shooter shot another man as his blood sprayed the walls. Mei thrust her blade through the other's chest in a fluid motion, his blood running down her dagger toward her hands before pushing him off.

One moment it was panic. The next it was silent...Oh so were the ways of battle.

"You owe me," rang a voice that was soft, and yet commanding.

"I don't recognize you," Mei said as her guard fully remained. She tasted blood in her mouth as she spoke. More than likely not all hers.

She re-positioned herself for more battle, but stumbled from the blood loss. She regained herself quickly though. _Weakness was only to be displayed in private..._

"Are you usually this easy to take down?" The man asked as he approached her. His gun was at his side now, and he didn't appear to be thinking of wielding it soon. He had olive skin, short brown hair, and a stubbled face. His eyes were soft, but they clearly knew battle.

"I want a name."

"Barsad. Bane sent for me."

"You're our prize we came to collect?"

"I did save your life. Sounds like I _am_ quite the prize."

She smirked. But it wasn't enough. For all she knew this man was toying with her. Perhaps she was to be a hostage, and this was a ploy to gain her trust. Wouldn't be the first time. Being Cabe's daughter often meant people saw her head as nothing more than a pretty ransom.

"Mei, isn't it?" Barsad asked as he motioned for her to lower her blade.

"What makes you say that?" she questioned. She refused to lower her blade.

"Not many women in the league."

"I suppose we are a little rare," she said with pride.

"Enough of this Mei. Tend to your arm. Then we move," Barsad lightly commanded as his eyes fell to her arm.

"Place your gun on the floor."

Barsad raised a brow, "If I wanted you dead, you'd be so by now."

She breathed slowly while considering it. He had a point. Straight to her face or behind her back, he could shoot at any time. After consideration she nodded and lowered her weapon. She bent down to a dead man, cut some fabric, and made a makeshift bandage. When she was finished she took another blade to double wield.

Barsad led them down more empty hallways. Mei could feel the tightness of her bandage and that it slowed some of the blood flow. But she still felt the damage of it. Her breathing was getting deeper as she felt her body grow heavier. She needed to get medical attention soon. Trap or not, if she were to be a hostage, at least they'd clean her up. A dead hostage does not fetch for nearly as much when they're alive.

"Where are the others?" she asked quietly. It seemed so odd to be this alone.

"I got led over here. One of the men had something I needed. Hopefully if the League did their job there won't be any more men to fight. But remain alert. These men are skilled."

She continued to follow him until they finally reached a large wooden double door with gilded knobs. He looked back to her, nodded to ask if she was ready, and she returned the gesture. She was curious as to what would be found in there. The leader? Money? Nothing?..._a trap_?

Whatever Barsad needed in there she didn't get to find out.

"Mei, return to the vehicles and ready them for leave," commanded a strong metallic voice from behind.

She bowed her head as she turned around to see Bane walking toward Barsad. Apparently he wasn't lying. He really_ was_ the new Second Hand. Bane's eyes fell to her arm as he passed. His brow raised once he noticed the extent of her damage. Neither of them slowed down as they passed, but there was minor concern as his gaze met her face. But she avoided it. Whatever staring shenanigans that might happen this time could wait. She needed an IV with A type blood in her now. She could feel that her face was blanching. More than likely that is what led to his concern.

"Escort DuBois," Bane's voice commanded from behind her.

Mei turned around to see a League member, one that she didn't recognize, nod to Bane. He was dressed in military garb similar to Bane and Barsad. A new look, it seemed. The new member began to walk toward her. Mei wanted to protest that she didn't need the help. But upon taking a deep breath to speak, she could feel just how weak she was. She sighed instead and begrudgingly accepted the aid. She didn't want Bane to think she was weak. But trying to impress him already screwed her over once today. So she wouldn't press her luck.

And she was grateful, because this member knew how to insert an IV. Lying down and getting that needle in her arm with the needed blood flowing through was one of the most invigorating things after a bloody battle.

* * *

**A WEEK LATER**

A powerful arm swung for her. Her instincts bent her backward before even thinking, utilizing her hamstrings and back muscles to steady herself.

He was always so relentless.

Mei twisted her body, her leg lifting to swing with her foot. She used her arms to forward her momentum further. This was typical of her. She delivered multiple quick blows rather than powerful one liners. This wouldn't do much to a man like this, but she had to at least get one good strike at him.

Instead her swinging leg was met with a very firm and controlling hand that gripped her thigh tightly. The other virile hand gripped her ankle and her motion was halted instantly. It was the grip on her thigh that threw her far off her guard. It was _quite_ high up. And she has been groped many times. So that wasn't new. But this felt different immediately.

It should not have caught her so off guard. _Oh god why is this so different with him...  
_  
Bane smirked as he tightened his hand on her thigh. Her eyes darted to his. Of course they were unreadable. _Always_ unreadable.

And then they narrowed. He broke their impasse as all of his muscles rippled to lift her. No doubt this would leave a bruise there. Her control and balance was completely lost to her as he had the majority of control. With the way he man handled so easily, she could tell he was actually being quite gentle. _Jesus Christ_. _Where does a person find such strength..._In a quick motion he grabbed her where her neck and shoulder met after releasing her ankle, then released her thigh, and pinned both hands behind her back as he locked her foot with his. She was pinned. So quickly too. He always moved so much faster than his girth suggested. And with her injured arm she couldn't hope to move. She could attempt it, but a man the size of Bane made this rather hopeless. Her Jujitsu skills meant little to nothing with how off drastically off their ratio was.

"Did I distract you?" he asked with a derivative undertone in her ear. She could hear him breathing through the mask and felt how warm its metal was. He was like a furnace with that kind of heat he radiated next to her body. She felt pity for him when she was reminded of the kind of pain he must endure to wear that. Her muscles relaxed from this...and for also being so close to such virility. It was only for a moment. But he felt it. And so he let her go. Once freed from those rough hands and warmth, she immediately darted away. Reawakened to the fact that she was sparring, not flirting.

_Flirting_. What was wrong with her!? Why does this keep happening to her?

She didn't respond. Instead she stared him down, ignoring the pain in her arm. No softness was found in her stare. She had to reestablish her ground.

He smirked again and turned his back to her while rolling his neck in a stretch, "Tend to your wound. It is bleeding."

She didn't move and just continued to watch him. She hated what was happening to her mind whenever he was around...Until eventually she glanced to her arm. A small red dot showed it was reopening. She couldn't wait for this physical setback to be behind her.

* * *

"_Agghh_," Mei said under her breath as the bandage was peeled away.

It always felt so uncomfortable to get injured...but the pain afterward was so much worse. And this would leave a nasty scar.

32 damn stitches.

She looked in the mirror and turned sideways to view it better. Her sweat entered the wound. She grit her teeth, but otherwise she pushed out the pain. The League used to inflict wounds on purpose to teach its recruits how to handle such a "distraction". They even practiced breaking bones in the hand by punching hard objects over and over. Over time, with the right bandages to hold the healing bones in place, it healed into a single bone. Perfect for delivering blows. Some hands lost agility, but nothing to impede their fighting.

Pain built a warrior. And the League prided itself in building warriors.

Rarely did they go so deep into the flesh though. It was too much. Muscle injuries were more serious and required more time to heal. Her flesh was red with anger as if to agree. A small amount of blood oozed out from where the bandage had stuck. Sparring prolonged healing. But spending time to tend to minor wounds was training time wasted. And it was healed enough not to continue.

Plus this wasn't just training. Bane was personally gauging everyone. Obviously no one hoped to win, but Bane was interested in each person's style and presence. She had no doubt she failed her assessment. Not only was he already proving to be a distraction, but he was a type of fighter she usually avoided. To win against men like him, she needed to use guerrilla warfare, or weapons. Not open confrontation.

She opened the door of the ward and felt a searing pain that sent a spasm through her body. Her muscle had indeed been sliced through once they examined it. But the blade was sharp, so the muscle wouldn't have to work nearly as hard to heal. And it wasn't too deep. She just hated the impediment it represented.

She walked above the dojo on the catwalk as she left the ward with a fresh bandage. The stitches would be removed in three days. Maybe longer if Bane continued to be so rough on her. He did seem to enjoy pushing her to limits he knew she couldn't escape. She was not a brawler. And yet he insisted on forcing her to fight out of her comfort zone. Outside of her usual training.

Her eyes fell to the floor below as she slowed to watch. Bodies filled it. A collaboration of chants, shouts, outbursts, and bodies hitting the floor bounced off every surface. It was rarely ever this full and thunderous with sound.

_New recruits_.

They were serious about this Gotham mission, it seemed. No former league member would authorize this large amount of inflow. _Especially_ not her father. All these men barely passed initial screening. But with the Gotham mission Talia was constructing...she insisted they needed loyal souls over skill.

Things surely were changing...so quickly too.

And the captain of it all sat in the corner on a stool, conversing with his Second Hand. Observing. Calculating the fresh meat more that those men ever knew.

Bane was so absorbed in his potential men that Mei went longer than usual in her staring. So long that _she_ stopped herself.

"I've got a problem." she mumbled.

It was an odd mixture of attraction and pure reverence. That was a deadly mix in terms of obsession.

She wondered if this is what teenage American girls felt for boy bands.

Her palm met her forehead, massaging her eyebrows when she realized what she had just compared herself to. And of course before she left the catwalk, she stole one last glance. And Bane's eyes were already on her. Not an inch of him had moved, other than his penetrating gray eyes. He always knew when he was being watched.

She didn't even try to defend it. She sighed to herself and raised her brows as she took her gaze off of him. She had to focus. This obsession was not healthy. It would no doubt lead to complications.

She couldn't afford any more of those.

* * *

A week later her stuff was packed.

Even though the League was changing so drastically, she wouldn't be around to see it. It would be the first time living away from home. Or so far away, anyway. For college she was never that far from home. But in Gotham an entire ocean would separate them. She was of course careful to pack her mother's plant. She had found solace in it. It was so unlike her methodical world. It was a true escape.

And escape would do her good. Her obsession with Bane worried her. It felt uncontrollable. And she didn't like that. She didn't have much experience with men. She didn't sleep around much. It was definitely a craving that still existed in her, but it never was predominant. She was a true student to the arts of killing and controlling oneself.

And Bane was apparently the hardest lesson she had to face in learning control.

She found herself thinking of him. He was quite the specimen. He was relentless. He was _dangerous._ And yet he was somehow kind to Talia, showing he had the capability to possibly be human under of those scars and thick skin...he was so much the embodiment of the perfect warrior that even _Ra's_ denied him...sometimes too much of a good thing upset the natural flow of things...

And as she pictured him, she felt like someone punched her in the gut when she finally accepted things...

She didn't just admire him. She was truly attracted to him. Not just a physical thing either, as pretty much any woman would be with that physique...but she felt a _true_ appeal to him._ Is that was butterflies in one's stomach feels like_?...

"Oh my god I am completely attracted to him..." she said aloud to herself in despair as threw her head forward, staring at the ground while bracing herself with both hands on her desk. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"To whom," drawled a metallic voice.

She smirked sardonically to herself. She wasn't even surprised at this point with his timing. It was too incredulous to even make a big deal out of it.

"Um, yeah...you are probably the last person I would ever gossip to about such a topic," she said as she turned to face him. She didn't even blush. She was too much in disbelief at this moment.

Plus the only way to get over this was to face him head on. This was not alright. He was the leader next to Talia. She had to respect that, not fawn over him like a fangirl.

"Is it frequent that you converse on your own?" Bane asked as he examined her weaponry on the wall, touching them softly with hands that were so lethal.

She was limited in what she was allowed to take to Gotham so as not to draw attention. If Gotham was a fit place for her, they would ship more things for her so could settle better. But for now, she packed light.

"It's not a habit," she defended. She tried to be as calm as possible. But the way he moved so silently, save for the rhythmic metallic breathing, and yet donned such a terrifying presence...it really distracted her. It made sense too, and she hated that. She was a trained killer. So of course the best of them would attract her. But _him_..._why_ did it have to be _him_...

"I have seen men converse with themselves to much greater lengths to be concerned with yours," Bane said quietly as if in thought while his brow furrowed He was examining a great sword that her family passed down. She couldn't wield it very well, but it was an heirloom none the less. Then he moved his eyes to her in a haunting drawl, eventually turning his body to face her.

"Can I help you?" she asked, straightening herself.

"Before your departure, you need to be informed that we will contact each other through a liaison for further instructions. The Batman continues to move in the shadows. "

"Will this liaison find me in the city?"

"He will."

"Any direct orders for when I arrive?"

"Only what you are currently assigned."

She nodded and it fell silent. He wasn't much of the talker. Neither was she. And yet she wanted to keep talking. Her attraction scratched at her brain to do something about it. She admired this man greatly and genuinely wanted to get to know him more. She wanted to say more. Like..._how was your day_? But why on Earth would she do that?

So she just let the nod suffice.

She really was awful with being social when it was real and not staged for a mission.

"I also wanted to remind you to be careful, Mei. The Bat killed Ra's. You will be mostly unattached to us from his view, but clearly this Bat has his ways for obtaining information. The crime lords are getting frustrated. A man who paints his face in war paint is supposedly lurking the streets as well. We hear he is quite the wild card. Your survival is necessary for us. You will do well to keep your skills to yourself and off any of their radars."

"Understood."

It was silent again. And she was stiff as a board. He eyed her carefully. He could feel the unease. Surviving the pit meant he had gained a useful skill in reading body language. Although this just amused him. She was such a talent, and yet he seemed to bring out a weakness that he did not fully understand.

"Are you healing?" he questioned.

"It's just a flesh wound," she said with a smirk. She had just watched Monty Python a week ago. One of the League members had a taste for movies. Ra's saw it as something dismissive, but without him around, the movie fan was starting to host weekly screenings.

The joke avoided Bane like he was a polar magnet. She smirked even further. Of course he wouldn't watch movies of that nature. But her smirk turned to a frown. She must not find that endearing.

"Do well to make sure it doesn't become a habit," Bane said directly, flattening the conversation.

She steeled her expression and bowed her head. That was an order.

He looked at her once more before lowering his gaze to the ground an turning to leave. Once the door was shut she found herself still standing there. Her brows raised once she realized he wasn't coming back as she looked around dubiously. She never struggled this much with a person before. Her eyes found the white petals that resembled her mother and felt all her nerves wash off her like a well needed bath. Her eye's softened as she wished her mother was here. What would her mother say to do? Her father would no doubt not understand. She missed her mother so dearly. Next to the plant was a portrait taken of her mother when she was 22. A beautiful woman of Asian descent, and eyes that radiated with so much care...

Mei returned to finishing packing. She didn't handle strong emotion well. She had been taught to shun it, not feel it. And her mother always knew how to incite it, even from the grave.

Maybe it really would do good to leave for Gotham. A new start. A new life. A new place...

On top of her bag were papers of Dr. Pamela Isley. A beautiful red head with eyes that showed she was quite intelligent. Mei wondered what this woman would be like. She hoped they would get along. Her resume was impressive and extensive. Perhaps she would truly learn a lot from this woman. A female would be nice to talk to, actually. There'd be so many people in Gotham too. She was bound to at least make one friend...she paused as she looked to the darkened mountains through her windows. She was letting in sink in just where she was going.

_Gotham_...

..._and the Batman_.

**The man who killed Ra's Al Ghul.**

She wondered if she could get away with a confrontation of Batman. Maybe find out who lurked under that mask...yes...reconnaissance was definitely in order. She was actually quite good at it when Bane wasn't around to haze her mind.

She smirked. Stalking the Batman would indeed be a good distraction.

* * *

**See! I didn't lie! Haha. And don't worry, Bane is still going to make many more appearances ;D ...and of course it will get to a sexy level ;D I hope you guys enjoyed it! I can't wait to get more chapters out. You can definitely be reassured that there will be more frequent updates instead of yearly hiatuses ;)**

**Have a wonderful holiday! And now I am off to respond to so many fans that kept me going when my writing muse left me :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Okay...sO I said I'd respond to messages. But I had to get this out. And I have limited time. So I promise to that after this chapter. To those that review...thank you so much! I noted all of them and plan to respond :) thank you, your supportive voices keep me pushing! Now to work on THC :)**

* * *

Four months slid by since Mei arrived in Gotham.

She was unsupervised and completely on her own in this vigorous city. She had met once with her liaison to Bane. And the tattered man told her she was to do nothing but focus on her studies.

No other orders. Seemed like Bane could have told her that. But she figured this had more use for later contact, as she was sure it would be needed.

And it was odd to have such little direction. She always had something to focus on. Her studies were of course quite strenuous...but to have control over her own actions was such a novelty. Gotham represented freedom to her. She missed home though. She missed the mountains. She missed the League. She had always operated as a part of a machine. But never as the conductor. And here she was left to her own devices. Although it was quite jarring, it was the breathe of fresh air she needed.

And she had learned a lot about men from Dr. Isley. Mei learned so much about interacting with them, how to control her nerves, and how to be more confident.

"You are beautiful, you know. Take advantage of it. You could really use it," Dr. Isley said one night as they staid late in the labs at Gotham University.

"Father forbade it. He wanted my strength to be physical, not sexual."

"I admire that. But let's be honest...men feign at a willing body. Embody it. And he will be yours. A lot less bloodshed," Dr. Isley said she examined a plant sample through a microscope while Mei prepped the other beaker dishes.

"I can't argue that."

"Don't worry, little flower. I will teach you."

Luckily Dr. Isley was quite intrigued with Mei. They turned out to be a dynamic team. They had very similar personalities and were not afraid to use those that were in their way.

Mei learned quickly that Dr. Isley viewed plants with such devotion that is almost mirrored religion. Dr. Isley had taken Mei to her home one evening for dinner after she had been there for two weeks when she realized Mei had no other friends. It was a small brick home on the hillside outside of Gotham.

But the greenhouse in the back...it was much, _much _more than a house. It was the size of a church, with a ceiling the height of steeple. It was like walking into a forest right out of a book. The house, Mei realized, was literally right on the hillside. The greenhouse descended all the way down the hill like a laboratory with winding steps. Perhaps it _was_ a church...but unique to Dr. Isley. And Mei firmly believed that too when she accidentally stepped on a vine that apparently belonged to a very sensitive plant. It was then that Dr. Isley let out a side to her that Mei permanently registered in her brain. And with the anger that Isley had...Mei thought for a moment that the plants were moving threateningly at her. But it was too sudden to tell. Isley let the anger go when she saw Mei was sincere in her apology.

It was obvious after that that Dr. Isley clearly treated her plants like they were her children. But to what extent...Mei still had to learn. Dr. Isley shut that conversation down quickly whenever brought up.

Everyone has their thing...and so Mei just accepted it. The woman was quite brilliant. And her obsession honestly enhanced her skill. So Mei found it valuable rather than unsettling.

And then Mei realized one day that Dr. Isley was experimenting with plants on a level that went much further than a_ 'curiosity' _level. Mei could have sworn the plants answered to her...Dr. Isley would touch them and the vines would move. The petals would stiffen. The colors would enhance over the week if Isley touched them often. She would speak softly to them when she thought Mei wasn't looking, and she definitely saw, _at least once,_ the entire plant move. Mei knew Dr. Isley was _definitely_ hiding something from her. But after stepping on that vine, she dared not press.

One evening they bonded quite well. And it was the introduction to the next level of their friendship. Mei brought Dr. Isley to her apartment one night. By the window was her mother's flower. Dr. Isley obviously took an immediate interest.

"This is lovely. And so well kept," she said as she caressed the petals. Her eyes would narrow every now and again as she nearly examined every branch. If Mei didn't know any better, the plant seemed to hold a tiny extra bit of life under Dr. Isley's hands.

"It was my mother's favorite flower. She died when I was young. Her and I planted that together. I do well to keep it alive," Mei said as she opened a bottle of red wine. She hadn't consumed much alcohol with the League, but when in Gotham...do as the Gothamites.

Dr. Isley's green eyes lit up with an air of pride, "That is so wonderful. All plants deserve a story like this."

And ever since, Dr. Isley treated Mei with a little more warmth. She wasn't cold to begin with, but she was definitely closed off prior. But not anymore. And a true bond was being built between the two women.

"So why didn't the league recruit you?" Mei asked the third month of being there. They were in the green house and Dr. Isley was collecting specimens for a "study."

"Because I have no interest in obligations. My only loyalty is to my garden."

"You're such a green thumb."

"What was your first clue?" Dr. Isley said with a smirk as she kissed a rose from the rose garden. Mei had gotten used to such affection for her plants.

"Go put on a nice dress. We're going out tonight to some bars," Dr. Isley said as she placed a few bright red petals from an unknown flower into a baggy.

"Oh really?"

"I have something I want to try."

"Care to share?"

"A new lipstick. It's toxic. These petals should work nicely. It's time I teach you how to make various poisons with these plants. But first...we witness their effects."

"Can I try it, too?" Mei asked. That sounded like a lovely idea. Her new spirit with men was thriving, and this was the perfect next step to her assassinations. Isley was right in there being less bloodshed. It would be nice not to have to worry about making messes.

"You...will not be able to handle it," Dr. Isley said with serious eyes as she motioned for them to ascend the spiral stair case.

"Will you ever tell me why you are so...different? Also I need to borrow a dress," Mei said as she followed the doctor up to her house.

"Maybe I will tell you... if you are ever ready. I also have the perfect red one for you."

The dress was quite revealing and figure hugging. Mei practiced multiple ways to pose in the mirror. "You look like a mannequin trying to pose," Dr. Isley said as she put on the lip balm with her pinky. Her hair was in loose red curls, her lips to match. She had a green dress on that was similar to the red.

"I don't do this often," Mei said with a frown as she thought her poses were so...obviously fake. She noticed immediately the lack of places to put weapons as well.

"Oh you will learn. I have alternate plans tonight, but you should really look into snagging a man to take home. Lord knows you need it."

At the bar, the two ladies didn't struggle much to pull some attractive male specimens. Mei decided to fuck it. Life was too short to be a prude with her sexuality. She might as well explore it further. Plus the man that she flirted with all night was tall, handsome, a little scruffy, and appeared to be Italian.

She had to admit - this freedom sure did have its perks.

The two exchanged numbers and names - Derek. He offered to take her to his place. But Dr. Isley whispered in Mei's ear that she needed her for the night. It would be important. The tone told Mei that she was not to mess around with these orders.

"How about later this week...for coffee," Mei said thinking back to home and her Italian barista.

Derek smirked, "...sure. Why not. I'll text you."

Mei smiled as Dr. Isley grabbed her wrist to lead her out as she smiled to Derek, "Have a good night young man."

Isley was obviously in a hurry. "I actually liked him," Mei said as they caught a taxi.

"And my little subject liked me."

"So what is so urgent?"

Then Mei heard a small scream coming from the bar they just left as they entered the cab. Dr. Isley rushed her to close the door as she spewed off her house number to the cab driver. Mei eyed the doctor, who raised her brow with authority. She would have to ask later. Not in front of the driver. It took about 30 minutes to reach the brick home. Once they arrived Mei said, "Well?"

"My lip balm works," Dr. Isley said with a hint of a smile.

It wasn't hard to put this together, "So your lip balm is poisonous, and you are immune...and you killed a man tonight to test it out?"

"Plants can save your life, you know...and also take it. I am merely their servant."

Mei narrowed her eyes with a hint of a smile. Dr. Isley was much more sinister than she thought. She smirked. But it was the tip Mei needed to solidify that Isley was different - biologically, anyway. Immune to something with such quick acting poison? Mei was fascinated. She knew she had to learn the secret. That was simply not normal.

This was budding into quite an interesting friendship.

* * *

On Mei's way home, with her clothes changed, it was already going on close to one in the morning. She walked the alleyways with her weapons comfortable in all their usual spots. A shaggy man with a face so dirty that he was hardly recognizable appeared in front of her. But Mei knew him. It was a face she needed to engrave in her mind in case she came across it again. She was beginning to wonder when she would see him next.

"More to talk about?" Mei said to him as she listened for ears that she'd rather not be listening.

"Orders from Talia," croaked the man as he went to light a cigarette.

"That's unexpected," Mei said quickly with a furrowed brow.

"She says that the Batman is more distracted than they expected. The clown is getting more adventurous. Which means you have more freedom in your movement. Karla Devmont. The League wants her dead. Make it so."

Mei listened to each word he spoke. She didn't know of a Karla. Also the '_clown'_? Just who was this man? She was just beginning to realize how much of a sacrifice it was living in Gotham with no contact. "Can I at least get a portfolio?"

"Here you are," the man answered as he reached into his tattered jacket to pull out a contrasting clean manila envelope.

"Thank you. Words from my father?"

"Be more specific."

"Cabe...DuBois?"

"Nope. Haven't heard from a guy with that name."

She nodded and wished him a good night before moving to her apartment. She missed her father, but it was common to go months without a word to the other with the nature of their jobs. As she climbed the stairs, not opting out of a good workout to the 14th floor, she thought about the mission. She was certain Bane told her not to do something like this. But if they were Talia's orders...and that was Bane's liaison...Bane had to know something of this. And Talia had the highest authority, even over Bane. And the wax seal on the paper was Talia's - it all checked out. So, with the liaison as a trusted source, Mei decided she had no other option but to let Talia's order supersede Bane's.

She had to admit...she was excited about getting some action after mostly studying plant after plant. She liked nature...but Dr. Isley might have the trump card in regards to love of plants.

The mission took place on a cold January night. It had been an oddly warm December, and this January the cold finally caught up to speed. This woman lived in a pent house on the 30th floor in downtown Gotham. So Mei found her way into a few floors down. Her plan was to scale the balconies until she reached the pent house. She leapt balcony to balcony, quickly pulling herself up to move to the next so as not to draw too much attention. It was midnight, so the dark was on her side. As it often was for those that crawled around in the shadows.

She reached the penthouse balcony. The cold metal from all the balconies was sharp and burned like fire and her hands were beginning to numb. It was only background noise in this moment. She slid to the wall without making a sound. She checked for the door. It was unlocked.

They always felt safe so high up.

She snuck in. It smelled like stale perfume and cats. She quickly found her victim as the bathroom was lit with moving shadows. Mei glided over the carpet to the bedroom door. Unlocked. She ticked it to ensure it was locked, eyeing her surrounding to ensure she really was alone before moving to the bathroom. Her victim was taking off her makeup. She was a blonde woman in her 40s wearing a bathrobe.

A loud hiss tried to threaten Mei as she raised a brow at the cat on the counter next to her victim. It was a pretty white cat with blue eyes. A tiny streak of pity pined in her heart for the cat losing its owner. But she always cared for animals more than people, so she knew to ignore it.

And it was time to make her move.

The look of sheer shock always came first. But this woman's eyes unusually darkened before the strike as if she knew this was inevitable. An obvious sign this woman was into some deep crime.

"Nothing personal," Mei said as she grabbed for the woman's head.

Karla reached under the desk for a weapon, no doubt. But she was slow, and Mei was fast. Mei gripped the woman's hair one hand, pulling her away from whatever weapons she reached for, and sliced at her throat with the other. The cat lunged at Mei. She slammed the woman's head into the wall to give her time to grab the cat, throw it in the shower, and shut the door. The woman gurgled on her blood, "Let her out of there, at the very least."

She died quickly with the blood loss as Mei stepped on her hand to prevent reaching for anything close by. Mei watched to ensure her mission was fulfilled fully as the cat hissed and scratched at the shower door. Mei left the bathroom and looted the bedroom while she thought about possibly letting the cat out. She felt bad for it. But a pissed off cat was not what she needed right now.

In the walk in closet were some beautiful diamond necklaces and real pearls. She slipped them into a bag that she holstered at her waist.

Well...Karla was quite rich, it seemed. Mei bet to herself that most of those diamonds were blood diamonds. She wondered if there was more treasure for her to plunder in the rest of the pent house. The profile said she was single, so it should be safe. And Mei could use the bling and money. Downtown Gotham was expensive, and having nice jewelry attracted the rich men.

But she heard a movement from the bedroom. She slowly peaked out from the closet. Before turning to her right to check her six she received a hard, gloved fist to the face. She dodged backward, but it did nothing to avoid it.

She felt her jaw move unnaturally, the world spin around her, and pain rippled through like a lightning bolt. It took everything in her body not to pass out. That was a good punch. The jaw was the weak spot for knocking someone out. She was probably only standing because her slight duck removed some of the power.

"Well you punch hard," she stammered like a drunk as she regained her balance.

She looked to the man that punched her as he doubled, then tripled, the doubled again. Finally she saw a single man surrounded by a blurry border.

_Shit_...she was hit hard.

He was in a black outfit garnished for battle. It was like a full body bullet proof vest. And he had pointy black ears. His face was impossible to make out with the mask that stopped at this nose. He was tall...and built. She knew who he was.

"Mr. Batman..." Mei said as she moved her jaw back and forth.

"You're new to the city," Batman said as he blended with the dark.

"My business is mine."

"I think it is in your interest that we discuss it," Batman said as he watched her, certain he had gotten the best of her.

"Not today Batman. Not. Today."

She rolled out a small smoke bomb from her arm pouch. It was laced with something Dr. Isley had just shown her - it was a neural toxin that would confuse him momentarily. She held her breath as she hit the button and threw it to the floor. It created a thick wall of smoke. She lunged to place a foot on the balcony rails, amazed that luck trailed so close to her side as she pushed herself into the open air. She pulled out her rope gun and pointed to a nearby balcony that was darkened. _Perfect._ She aimed to swing to the one that was four stories below, as that is where the swing would take her. She flew through the cold air to the roundabout balcony. The residual effect from the punch and the rapid swinging made the world go black around her as she almost lost grip of the gun. She landed but felt her whole body give way as she slipped. She fell to the one below her. She hit her arms hard on the metal, but wasted no time for pain as she scrambled over it. She checked the door. _Unlocked - lucky again. _She always hated bringing in more victims that weren't attached to a crime. But if these people woke and saw her...she had no other option. Batman was not the man to meddle with - that much had been made clear.

She would ask the stars for forgiveness later. She always prayed to them, as if a god existed, she figured the stars were the best embodiment of their sheer power. And the best chance for asking for forgiveness for senseless violence.

And to Batman, when he regained himself with his shoddy armor that clearly needed an upgrading, it would appear as if she disappeared in thin air. He could tell she was a different kind of villain than what he was used to. Gotham seemed set in challenging him this time around.

* * *

The wind kissed her skin and hair as she watched the moving lights from her small terrace. It was 3 hours later and she was showered. Mei couldn't sleep. She had to kill those people in that apartment. She had no problem killing criminals - they knew what was at stake. But innocent bystanders...that was hard to take in. But she loved this balcony, and it was the perfect little spot to think. Mei had been granted a luxury apartment in the downtown district and it was finally beginning to feel like home. It was small, but she loved the urban feel - the brick walls, concrete floor, 15 foot tall ceilings, large windows and the tiny balcony. She could really get used to this.

She heard the folding leather of a body place itself on her couch. She wasn't expecting company, either.

Her alert was raised, and she breathed a calm breathe of air through her nose as she readied for anything behind her. Her first instincts were to enter attack mode. But she had been working on a more...sensual, approach. So Mei turned around coolly.

It was worth a shot. If they had a gun to her, she couldn't do a thing about it anyway. The act of confidence actually made her slightly _more_ confident. This could really work for a new approach. Oh how her father would react to see how much she has changed...

She turned to see that a large man with a metal breathing apparatus sat on her couch, his elbows on his knees, his hands laced with themselves...and his eyes as utterly piercing at ever.

"Well...My week just keeps getting more and more interesting," she said as she leaned against the doorway, sipping her red wine.

She felt so much more relaxed with the added sensuality to her moves. Who would have thought she'd learn so much from her mentor in Gotham. Mei didn't feel nervous facing Bane. She felt confident. She knew herself more now. And with the threat turning into a false alarm, that confidence really took over.

She would have to thank Dr. Isley for that later.

* * *

**A shortie but a goodie! I am really liking this story, and where the other chapters are going. Please leave your thoughts behind - I greatly value them! Thanks for tell me what you think, what you like or don't like, what you'd like to see in this story, etc. **  
** I really missed this :) **


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